Baby names predicted to be huge in 2022 – from nonbinary monikers to Bridgerton classics

The experts at Nameberry have shared their predictions for the baby name trends we are likely to see cropping up in 2022 with a mix of fun and fantasy as well as monikers inspired by spirituality

Baby name trends, much like all other trends, are a bit like Marmite – you either love them and become completely obsessed or want absolutely nothing to do with it.

The most recent baby name trends saw an increase in names that inspired hope after the pandemic brought so much pain and heartbreak over the last 18 months.

New parents also picked names in 2021 based on the shows and films they had binge-watched during lockdown, including Tiger (Tiger King) and Connell (Normal People).

This trend looks set to continue into 2022, with the parenting experts over at Nameberry predicting that next year mums and dads will take inspiration from shows such as Bridgerton.

According to their research, regency names like Jane and Elizabeth will be replaced by other iconic Bridgerton-inspired monikers such as Benedict, Cressida, Daphne, Eloise and Francesca.

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Other big themes you can expect to see in 2022 include fun and fantasy, some inspired by nature as well as names with meanings rooted in spirituality.

A striking number of the top trends for next year are unisex, reflecting a shift in the way the new generation of parents approaches traditional gender norms.

Fashion-forward celebrity parents have already started to skip the formal name entirely, opting to put sweet, whimsical terms of endearment like Buddy, Honey, Lucky and even Baby straight onto the birth certificate.

Playful names to watch out for include Bear, Birdie, Dovie, Iggy and Pixie.

Nameberry predicts parents will opt for nonbinary names, with more feminine names and mythological monikers being given to baby boys – think Artemis, Juniper, Laurie, Sasha and Sunny.

So cute!

The baby name experts have also shared their thoughts on spirit and soul names, which are rising in popularity.

They said: “Spirit and soul names are powerful and evocative, drawing on ancient myth and diverse religious traditions – but with a thoroughly modern twist.

“We see the rise of Christian word names like Praise, Promise and Shine. We’re also hearing more Sanskrit names and names from ancient myth and legend, alongside an alarming number of angel and demon names.”

Some of the spirit and soul baby names that will appeal to parents in 2022 could be Creed, Galilee, Kali, Revere or Veda.

They added that names ending in S feel fresher for 2022 (Ames, Lous, Wells) and ‘punchy’ names that begin with R are having a moment (Reign, Reeve, Roux).

And if all of the above wasn’t enough, a few more trends that could crop up are musical names like Chord and Calypso, Euro-chic monikers such as Astrid and Cosmo and as always the appeal of nostalgia is ever strong, so the use of retro names including Betty, Mae, Bobby and Nellie is likely to continue.

For more information on baby name trend predictions and the trendiest baby names of 2022 visit nameberry.com/